The following letter was
addressed to President Michael Kaplan and the officers of the
Greater Baltimore Veterinary Medical Association.

It would seem that “alternative medicine” has become a catch-all
phrase for questionable practices formerly labeled quack and
fraudulent. The FDA defines health fraud as, “Articles of
unproven effectiveness promoted to enhance health, appearance or
well being.”

I was reminded of this definition
again and again during the Alternative Medicine lecture for
continuing education given earlier this year by the GBVMA. Since
your mission statement is to, “do all things ... to further high
standards of care,” I felt compelled to comment on this
presentation.

Though Dr. Chambreau had some
salient points to make against standard veterinarian practices
(i.e. over-vaccination and feeding dry food diets to obligate
carnivores), I feel these short-comings were used to gain a
foothold for modalities that, at best, were unsubstantiated and,
at worst, dangerous and very capable of compounding animal
suffering. These short-comings were also used to develop a
feeling that alternative medicine practitioners should gain
sympathy as an enlightened minority struggling against a
self-serving, rigid, close-minded establishment.

There was a blurring of the terms
“complementary” and “integrated” in such a way as to make one
think that because some practices had merit, the rest deserved
equal respect and consideration. The whole unsubstantiated
jumble of homeopathy, Reiki, magnets, laser lights, Chinese
medicine, flower essences, ayurveda, T -Touch and intuitive
healers (which seemed to be unwieldy for the lecturer and
audience alike) was wedged together with responsible modalities
like diet, environment, stress and taking a good history.

Though some aspects of complementary
medicine have genuine application and are supported by evidence
based, scientifically proven medicine, there are many
questionable practices that lack convincing data on safety and
therapeutic efficacy. It is the duty of alternative medicine
practitioners to conduct suitable studies and provide sufficient
evidence that these modalities work in ameliorating disease
processes. Not to declare, as was the case in this session after
advocating highly questionable practices, “We don’t know how
these things work,” or in one exuberant outburst “It’s magic!”

The very real possibility of
extending pain and suffering in sentient animals who cannot
speak for themselves was, for me, the true danger and sorrow in
this lecture. We have all taken an oath to alleviate animal
suffering; and we should strive to uphold our standing in the
community as professionals of sound judgment and rational
principles who treat animal pain and disease in a proven and
effective manner. I hope you will take this into consideration
when scheduling speakers in the future.

Janet M. Davis, DVM.

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